Versatile Stephen Vogt epitomizes A's approach

Stephen Vogt knocks in Sam Fuld with a single in the first, but the A's fell 6-1 to the Twins. Page E5

Stephen Vogt knocks in Sam Fuld with a single in the first, but the A's fell 6-1 to the Twins. Page E5

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

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Manager Bob Melvin reaches out to shake Stephen Vogt's hand after Vogt's two-run homer against the Twins on Saturday.

Manager Bob Melvin reaches out to shake Stephen Vogt's hand after Vogt's two-run homer against the Twins on Saturday.

Photo: Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images

Versatile Stephen Vogt epitomizes A's approach

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In 1965, Campy Campaneris, shortstop for the Kansas City A's, played a different position each inning.

Since then, three other players have performed the same feat, most recently in 2000.

Is it time for Stephen Vogt to revive the stunt?

"I would love to do that," Vogt told me before Sunday's game, a 6-1 A's loss to the Twins.

Why would the A's sanction such a gimmick? They probably would not.

Campy's '65 adventure was the brainchild of A's owner Charles Finley, whose brain had more children than an orphanage. The '65 A's were on their way to losing 103 games, and Finley creatively combined his love of a good gimmick with his love of money (increased attendance) by ordering Campaneris to play 'em all.

The A's don't need crowd-pleasing gimmicks. They are a crowd-pleasing gimmick - a patchwork group of oddballs, playing the best ball in baseball.

But it would be a nice tribute to - and spotlight on - the unique skills and contributions of Stephen Vogt, Baseball 2014's most unlikely hero.

Vogt drove in the A's only run Sunday with a single, and ended the day batting .319.

He is the poster boy for the A's unique mix-and-match, shake-and-bake, shop-'til-you-drop lineup juggling. Vogt is a catcher, but he has played first base, right field and left field this season, and been the designated hitter. One recent game, he caught and played first and right.

Don't save your money to watch Vogt play nine positions. A's manager Bob Melvin and general manager Billy Beane aren't exactly P.T. Barnum and Bill Veeck; it's unlikely they would even consider a play-'em-all game for Vogt, even after the A's wrap up a division championship.

It's more likely that Vogt would play all nine positions by accident, as a result of Melvin's organic chess-game creativity.

Just know that Vogt would relish the opportunity, should it present itself.

"For one inning (per position), I think I could handle it," he said. Although "I think the middle of the field is somewhere I need to avoid if we're trying to win every day. It'd be fun to try it. Pitching wouldn't be too bad. Just throw strikes."

Vogt might be even more versatile than Campaneris was, although Campy added a nice cherry to his sundae by pitching right-handed to righty batters and left-handed to lefties.

Vogt, if the game went extra innings, could umpire. He did that in a minor-league game, when he was on the disabled list and the crew was an ump short.

And that's not all! In his spare time, Vogt is a basketball ref. Sort of. His wife, Alyssa, was a college basketball coach, and they watch a lot of hoops on TV. Vogt fixates on the refs, especially the more theatrical ones, and copies their moves.

He breaks out the moves spontaneously in the clubhouse. If two A's bump into one another at the lunchroom door, say, Vogt will blow his whistle, rush to the scene and assess either a charge or a block.

He took the ref act national on a recent "Intentional Talk" program on MLB Network. Appearing in ref shirt, shorts and goofy socks, he showed off his signature calls. Nobody does a more hilarious over-and-back call.

"It's quite a talent," Melvin said before Sunday's game. The ref bit on TV "was fantastic. And he's got different acts. That's not his only one."

I mentioned to Melvin that it must be helpful to have a strong authority figure in the clubhouse.

"If we've got some arguments in there, he's probably the right guy to go to, to arbitrate it," Melvin said. "Seems like he's got a feel for it. He is an authority figure."

Yes, Melvin can do an excellent straight man.

Every A's fan believes that the team's success is due in no small part to the fun, loose atmosphere of the clubhouse. That's up for debate. Winning breeds fun, maybe more so than vice versa.

Vogt's shtick is good, but it's even funnier when performed by the only Athletic batting .300.

But here's some ammo for chemistry fans: Following the Céspedes-for-Lester trade, Vogt went into an 0-for-23 funk. Thursday, Jonny Gomes, the king of clubhouse chemistry, introduced Vogt the Ref on "Intentional Talk."

That night, Vogt homered in the third inning, and he has five hits in four games.